Container folding machine



Feb. 20, 1951 1.. VEYRET ETIAL.

CONTAINER FOLDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 20, 1948 I N VEN TORS 1.00/5 5 WFETANU 650/9655 @FF/?0Y Feb. 20, 1951 L. VEYRET ETAL CONTAINER FOLDING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1948 INV EN T0125 .4 00/5 [/5 was?" 4N0 6504 0 53 Gen /way QXEM f7 TTORNE E.

Feb. 20, 1951 L. VEYRET ETAL 2,542,379

CONTAINER FOLDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, .1948 4 Sheets-Sheet s IN V EN TORS 650mm GfFF/QO r 4 ou/s VEYRETA/VO 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 20, 1948 IN VENTORS L 001.5 Vs'msr Am) By 66 mafia 6FFR0Y Patented Feb. 20, 1951 CGNTAINER FOLDING MACHINE Louis Veyret, Neuilly-sur-Seine, and Georges Geffroy, Paris, France, assignors to La Cellophane, Paris, France, a French company Application January 20, 1948, Serial No. 3,227

In France October 9, 1944 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires October 9, 1964 This invention relates to a process and apparatus for folding rectangular water-tight open top containers from fiat blanks and more particularly to a process and apparatus for forming liner bags in flat, collapsed form for shipping.

In the manufacture of open top containers or liner bags for the packing of food products, a fiat blank of appropriate material, such as paper or a transparent cellulose substance such as cellophane, is folded in such a way that the container is made water-tight up to a certain level without the use of adhesives. Inasmuch as such containers are made of thin, flexible material, they cannot be shipped in formed condition, but must be manufactured in the place where they are to be used. This requires that the user install apparatus for folding and forming the containers, which in many cases restricts their use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process and machine for folding containers of the above type in collapsed form so that they be shipp d flat to the point of use.

Another object is to provide a folded container of the above type which may be readily secured to a cardboard box blank for use as a liner.

Another object is to provide a unit comprising a cardboard box blank and a folded water-tight liner which is suitable for shipping and handling by the user.

Although the novel features which are characteristic of this invention are pointed out more particularly in the claims, the nature of the invention will be better understood by referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which specific embodiments t ereof have been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawings:

1 is a perspective view of the container as it is opened for filling;

Fi 2 is a detail view illustrating the method of folding the end flaps;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the completed container as it is delivered from the folding machine in fiat collapsed form;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cardboard box blank with the folded and collapsed liner secured thereto;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the folding mechanism with parts broken away;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken along the line fi5 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on the line 'l---'! of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a plan view similar to Fig. 5 showing 6 Claims. (Cl. 9349) the first folding operation in which the end flap is folded over;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a partial plan view similar to Fig. 8 showing the second folding operation in which one side fiap is folded over;

Fig. 11 is a similar plan view showing the third folding operation in which both side flaps are folded over;

Fig. 12 is a similar plan view showing the completed fold with the folding members retracted;

Fig. 13 is a section taken along the line I 3-13 of Fig. 12 illustrating the position of the sealing head;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the folding mechanism showing the folding members of one end retracted and the folding members in place for effecting the folds at the other end of the container;

Fig. 15 is a section through the base plate, taken on the line l5l5 of Fig. '7, showing the suction chambers;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of an automatic fold ing machine embodying the invention with parts broken away and with the sealing mechanism removed for clarity;

Fig. 17 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 18 is a detail view of the operating mecha-, nism for the flap folding shutters;

Fig. 19 is a detail view of the cam mechanism; and Fig. 20 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the o eration of the sealing mechanism.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, Fig. 1 shows the liner bag of rectangular form and open top which has been opened for use. This bag comprises side walls Ill, bottom H and ends formed by bottom end flaps l3 and side end flaps M and I5 which overlap to form end seams l6 which may be sealed by a suitable adhesive. The folded bag is tight to the top edge l2 of the bottom flaps l3 and in use is filled to that level, the remainder of the ends and sides being folded over to close the top of the package.

Fig. 2 illustrates the method of folding a flat blank A to form the end flaps above mentioned. In this method of folding one end of the fiat sheet is first folded over about a fold line I! to form'the bottom end flap I 3. Thereafter the two side flaps "M andI-Ei are folded over about fold lines I8 and i9 respectively which extend at an angle of approximately with the side edges Zil of the flat blank. The flaps l4 and I5 are folded flat against the flap [3 to form inner fold lines 2! and 22 wh ch extend at an angle of about 45 to the fold line l2. After folding, the flaps I l and i5 overlap to form seams It which are sealed by a strip of adhesive 23 which, in the case of a cellophane bag, may comprise a thermoplastic adhesive. The other end of the bag is then formed in a similar manner by folding about lines which are designated by s'milar reference characters with the suffix a (Fig. 3) to provide a fiat, collapsed bag which can be readily opened to the form shown :in Fig. 1 by lifting the two folded ends upwardly and smoothing out the folds l8, "I'Ba, l9 and ISa on the two side walls of the bag.

The completed and collapsed bag is attached to a cardboard blank 25 having 'a bottom panelillfi, end panels 27 and 28, side panels 29 andi30,,;and a top panel 3|, as shown in Fig. .4. Preferably the bottom of the bag may be attached by a peripheral band of adhesive 32 to the bottom panel 26 of the box blank and the flat portion'of the sides of the bag may be attached by adhesive '33 to cause the collapsed bag to .lie flat with the box blank, but to be opened up into rectangular form for use-as shown in Fig. J. when the blank is folded into the form of an .open box. In this way the .user has .only one handling operation to perform .for opening the box, and the .cardboard box and water-tight liner comprises a single unit.

The various folding operationsabove described may be effected by the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 5to 15. The mechanism includes -a -flat.rectangular table Afihavinga shape to receive the blank A of material to be folded. The table-40 is provided on its upper surface with -.a .plurality of suction chambers 42 to 46 as indicated inFig. .15 which are adapted-to hold the unfolded portion .of the blank flat aga nst the table .during the successive folding operations. At .its upper surface the table is provided with .a plurality of suction openings .50 (Fig. 5) communicating with the suction chambers for the above purpose.

A plate 5| of trapezoidal form having .an edge 52 corresponding to the end fold H of the .bag and with edges .54 inclined at 115 to correspond to the side folds 4-8 .and [.9 :is positioned above the table 40 and is mounted on .ro.ds;.55 by which it may be shifted from the position shown in Fig. 5 over the ta-bletfl to the position shown in Fig. 14 where it is retracted from the table 40.

A pair of shutters 5.6 and 5'! .=are...mounted-on rods 53 and 59 respectively and .are adapted .to

be shifted independently of the plate .51 from an advanced position .as shown in Fig. .5 to a retracted position .as shown in .Fig. .12. The shuttersare provided at their forward ends with edges 55 and El which are inclined by anangle of 45 to the axis of the .rods 5Band .59 and conform to the fold lines 2| and 22 of the blank. The shutters 56 and 5'! may be rotated from an upstanding posit on, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8, to a position flat against the plate 5|, as-shown in Figs. 11 and '12. The table 40 is provided at one end with a rectangular opening-68 which is secureda rectangular slide 69 having an edge it conforming to the bottom foldline IT. The slide 59 is mounted by means not shown for sliding movement over the .face iof the table 48 and is provided with an actuating tab 12 rengaging a stationary. cam 13 carried by the table 40 for elevating the slide as it'i-IS shifted forwardly soas toliftthe same above the plane of the blank Aand the plate 5| to thereby initiate'the folding of the bottom tab [3 about the'fold line II. The suction chambers 42 to '46 are connected to suitable sources of suction and may be :controlled .of the bag, indicated in Fig. 14 by the slide 89a,

shutters 56a, 51a, and plate 5hr.

For sealing the end seams l6 and Mia of the bag when the .material is heat-sealable or is provided with a thermoplastic adhesive, a sealing head -15 .(Fig. 13) is provided having a sealing .face'in the form of a Y as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 12 conforming to the longitudinally extending seam f6 and the folds 2! and 22. The sealing head H5 is arranged above the table 38 and is adapted to be brought into engagement with the folded bags at the proper time for sealing the various folds. Inasmuch as the folds for the two ends are overlapped as indicated in Fig. 1.4, the heating member is reversed in position at alternate actuations so as to register with the respective .end folds. In the event that a heat sealing adhesive is used the head 15 is provided with heating means. For other types of adhesive, the sealing head will be modified accordingly so as to effect the necessary sealing operation.

In the operation of the elements shown in Figs. 5 to 15 the plate 5| and shutters 5% andfi'l are first retracted in the position indicated in Fig. .14 and the corresponding elements la, 56a and .Elaareretractedonto the other side of the table. =Suction is then applied to the chambers 42 to 45 and a blank A is placed fiat on the table 40. The plate 5| is then advanced and laid flatover-the :blank A with the edge 52 thereof registering with the fold line if of the blank as indicated in Fig. 5. The shutters 56 and 5? are then advancedinto corresponding position with their ends registering with the edge of the plate 5| and with their edges ti? and 6! lying in a vertical plane.

For the first folding step, the suction out off from the chambers s2 and 23 and t e slide 69 is pushed inwardly (to the right in i 5, 6, 8 and 9). As the slide is pushed i 'ardly the. lug 12 thereof riding over the stationary cam 13 elevates the slide thereby lifting the ob ing portion of the blank A and starting a fol the line 11. .As the slide 69 is pushed inwa over the top of the plate 5!, the bottom is folded down against and about the edge c2 of the plate 5| as indicated in Figs. 8 and 8, th

the side folds I4 and i5 extending loosely the shutters 56 and 5?.

For the :next operation, the shutter lid is retated 90 about its axis andis :l to lie over the slide 69 as indicated g. It. This results in folding the flap is do 1 against the blank :an-d'forming the fold lines In the third stage of the folding operation, the shutter 5'! is rotated 90 about its axis is caused to .lie .fiat over the slide t9 as indicatediin'Fig. .11 therebyifolding the flap is down against the blank and forming the fold lines a1 1d:2|. 'Iheaendfiapsare now completely folded and requiresealing.

The slide '6'9 and shutters '56 and 5? are now retracted as indicated in Fig. 12 leaving the end folds lying flat against the top of the plate St. The sealing head I5 is then broughtdownwardly against'tlre overlapping folds fors'ealingthe same,

the plate 5I separating the folded flaps from the remainder of the blank during the sealing operation. The plate 5i is then retracted to the position shown in Fig. 14. The corresponding elements 5Ia, 55a, 51a and 59a are then actuated from the opposite end of the table 40 for folding over the opposite end folds which are then sealed in the manner above described. During this portion of the folding operation the suction is cut off from the chambers 44 and 45 to release the corresponding portions of the blank for folding over. The blank then remains on the table 40 and is held by the suction of the chamber 45 which corresponds in area to the folded blank. Suction to this chamber is then released and the folded blank removed, after which it may be ap plied to a box blank if desired as indicated in Fig. 4, or may be shipped in a fiat, folded, collapsed condition.

Figs. 16 to 20 show the operating mechanism for a semi-automatic machine for effecting the above-described operation. In this embodiment, the table 40 and other operating parts are mounted on a frame Ducts 80, 81 and 52 connect the various suction chambers 42 to 4'5 in the table 40 to a rotary valve 83 which is actuated by a vertical drive shaft 55 for connecting the respective ducts 80 to 82 to suction or venting the same at the appropriate points in the o erating cycle. gear 84a which is driven by any suitable such as a motor not shown.

The plates 5! and tm are mounted on brackets 55 and 85a attached to slides 85 and 55c. re pec tively which are mounted to slide on guide rods 57. The slides 85 and 35a are actuated by levers 5S and 85a (Figs. 16 and. 19) pivoted at 90 and 90a respectively to the frame I5 and connected at their lower ends by links 5i and Ella to slides 92 and 52a which slide in stationary sleeves 93 and 93a and carry followers 94 and 95d resoec tively engaging the surface of a cam 55 which is driven by the shaft 84. Springs 55 and 55a serve to hold the followers 54 and respectivelv a ainst the cam 95.

The plates 5i and 5m are flexible and are adapted to rest upon the blank A on the table 40 for holding the blank firmly in place during the folding operations. In order to lift the plates so as to permit the same to pass over the blank A as the plates are advanced, bell crank levers I and lilila are provided which are pivoted about pins I0! and I0 Ia secured in a fixed bracket (not shown) and are normally held in retracted position by springs I02 and I 02a (Fig. 17). Arms I03 and I05a, rigidly attached to the slides 85 and 85a, are adapted to engage the levers I00 and IBM for rockin the same to elevate the plates 5I and 5Ia when the slides are advanced. After the plates have passed the respective levers M30 and H3011 the levers are retracted by the springs I02 and M5211 and the plates rest flat upon the blank A in the position shown by plate 5I in Fig. 16.

The slides 59 and 59a are actuated by arms I05 and Him attached to cranks I05 and I06a which are driven by shafts I0! and Iilla. The shafts I01 and i0la carry arms I05 and I08a at their lower ends which carry followers I09 and I09a positioned to engage a cam H0 (Figs. 16 and 19).

The cam IIO serves to rock the arms I08, IBM and the cranks I06, I050; for advancing and retracting the slides 59, 69a at suitable times during the cycle of operation.

The shutters 56 and 51 are mounted on car- The shaft 234 carries a drivin riages II5, as shown in detail in Fig. 18, which slide on rods III. The shutters are formed integrally with rods I20 which are journalled for rotation in the brackets II5 but are held against sliding in the brackets II5 by collars I20. At their rear ends the shafts I20 are formed with helical slots I2I. A bracket I22 joins the shutters 56 and 57 on each end of the machine and is normally held in a rearward position on the respective shafts I20 by means of springs I23. The bracket I22 is provided with pins engaging the helical slots I2I in the shafts I20 so as to rotate the respective shutters due to axial movement of the shafts I20 within the bracket I22. In fully retracted position the bracket I22 engages a stop I25 attached to the frame. Further movement of the bracket I I5 to the right (Fig. 18) then causes the spring I23 to compress and, due to the helical groove I2I, rotates the shutter to upstanding position as shown. In this position it is engaged by a latch I26 which looks the same against rotation until the latch is released.

The bracket I I5 is driven by an arm l2! pivoted at I28 to the frame and attached at its lower end by a link I29 to a slide I30 which is mounted to slide in a stationary sleeve I3I on the frame I9 and carries a follower I32 which engages the cam 95 and is actuated thereby. A spring (not shown) normally holds the follower 532 against the cam 95. A suitable linkage actuated by the cam shaft 84 also releases the latches I25 in proper sequence for allowing the shutters 56 and 51 to rotate for folding the flaps against the plate 5| as above described. The spring I23 is connected to rotate the shutters to folded position. Similar mechanism actuates the shutters 55a and 51a and has been given corresponding reference characters with the suffix a.

The sealing band I5 is mounted on a shaft I 35 which is positioned to slide within a supporting bracket I35 attached to the frame 1'9. The shaft I35 is normally held retracted by a sprin I31 and is actuated by a lever I (Fig. 20 pivoted to the frame at I M and connected by a link I42 to a lever I43 which is pivoted to the frame at I44 and carries a follower I45 en aging the cam surface I4? of a vertical cam I45 attached to and driven by the cam shaft 84. A spring I49 serves to hold the follower I45 in en agement with the cam surface. The shaft I35 is rotated 180 on each upstroke by means of a pin carried by the bracket I 56 and engaging helical rooves I 50 and an axial groove I5I in the shaft I35. The arrangement is such that on the down stroke the pin engages the axial groove I5I and on the up stroke engages the helical groove I50 for causing 180 rotation of the shaft I35 so-as to bring the sealing head I5 in position to successively seal the op osite folds of the formed bag. The follow-er I46 and control linkages for the head I5 are omitted from Fig. 16 for clarity.

It will be noted that in the semi-automatic machine. shown in Figs. 16 to 20, the cam shaft 84 is driven by any suitable means, such as a driving motor (not shown), and upon each. rotation of the shaft 54 the various cam followers 534, I09 and I32 are operated in sequence to effect the successive folding o eration. The follower 54 first advances the plate 5I into position over the blank A and the follower I52 advances the shutters 55 and 5! into folding position. The valve 03 is then shifted to break the suction to the chambers 42 and 43 and the follower I 04 is a actuated to shift the slide 59 over the plate 5| my I asi 'to. initiate; the: bottom fold; I 3 onithez left sideof the. bag. The slide 69. is then. retracted and shutters" successively released forv folding; over thefl'aps M and lies: previously described; after which the elements are retracted? by their respective cam followers and the operation. repeated from the opposite end of the machine soas to form the opposite end folds. The suction to-the' chamber 46 is thencut off to release the foldedbag. After each folding operation the cam-fola lower ['46 is actuated to advance the sealing head to seal the folded ends of the bag; The suction, to' the chamber 46 is finally shut off to: allow the completed bag to-b'e' removed from the machine.-

It; is obvious that the various detailsof con struction are shown merely for purposes'of illustration and. that various changes and modifications'may' be made therein as will be readily apparent'to a person skilled in the art. The machine may be made completely automatic by including a. device for feeding blanks to the table Gil, for example from a'continuous roll provided wit knives timed to cut oif'blanks of suitable size. mounted around the-periphery of adrum having. an intermittent rotary motion and fed from a spool of strip material, or a pair of machines may be placed side-by-side or end-to-end and synchronized for operation by a single operator. The machine may be timed to operate alternately so that the operator can feed blanks to one machine during the folding cycle of the other machine; Various other changes and modifications will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. The invention is only to be restricted according to the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for forming folded open top cartons which are tight to a predetermined level from fiat rectangular blanks, comprising a perforated table to receive said blank, suction compartments conformingin shape to the successive parts ofthe blank to be folded andcommunicating with said perforations, a flat plate oftrapezoidal form having a straight front edge conforming to the width of the carton and having outwardly flaring side edges, means mounting said plate to slide over the blank on said table, a slide mounted beneath said blank and in advance of the front edge of said plate, cam meansto raise said slide and slide the same oversaid plate to form a front fold in said blank, a pair of sl'i'dable shutters disposed above said plate and having flaring outer edges, means successively rotating said shutters over said" plate to form side folds over said front fold, means retracting said shutters and said slide after said folding operation, a Y-shaped heating member positioned over said plate to register with the edgesof the side folds and means for moving said h-zatin r member into engagement with sai'df old blank for sealing said folds.

A. plurality of such machines maybe a 2. An: apparatus for forming: folded open: top: cartons which are tight to a predeterminedilevel; from flat rectangular blanks, comprising a pert. forated table to receive said blank, suction compartments conforming in shape to. the successive parts of the blank to be folded and communicat;- ing with said perforations, a fiat plate of trapezoidal form having a straight front edge con:- forming to the width of the carton and havingoutwardly flaring side edges, means mounting. saidplate to slide over the blank on said table, a slide mounted beneath said blank andin advance of the front edge of said plate, cam means;- to raise'said slide and slide the same over said plate to form a, front fold in said blank, a pair:

of slidable shutters disposed above said plate and having flaring outer edges, means succes sively rotating said shutters over said plate to form side folds over said front fold, means-re-- tracting said shutters and said slide after said folding operation, a Y-shaped heating memberpositioned over said plate to register with the.

edges of the side folds and means for moving. said heating member into engagement with said: folded blank for sealing said folds, valve means for successively releasing the suction in the compartments registering with the successive folds, and'means retracting said plate from the folded blank while maintaining suction to retain the folded blank on said table.

3. In an apparatus as set forth in claim. I earn. means actuated in sequence to control said plate, slide and shutters.

4. In an apparatus as set forth in claim 1 rods carrying said shutters, bearings in which said. rods are mounted for sliding and rotation, helical means on said rods to rotate the same in re sponse to sliding movement and cam means to slide said rods in said bearings.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 having duplicate plate, slide and shutters at both ends and means for operating the second set of elements in succession after one end of said blank has been folded.

6. In the apparatus set forth in claim 5 means for rotating said sealing head after each actuation, thereof for successively sealing the folds-at each end.

LOUIS VEYRET'. GEORGES GEFFROY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,674,624 La Bombard et al. June 19', 1928' 1,868,872: Bergstein July 26, 1932 1,903,248 Peck Mar. 28', 1933 2,043,018 Swallow June 2', 1936 2,217,504 Bergstein Oct. 8, 1940. 2,430,755 Bergstein 'Nov. 11', 1947. 

